As a participant in Stone Frigate, you will likely be cast as a rating that comprises the first intake of HMS Standard. A small number of players will be officers who, alongside limited Non Player Characters (NPCs), are responsible for the running of the camp, and management and guidance of the ratings.

 

 

RATINGS

 

Prior to arriving at HMS Standard, your character history will include undergoing an examination by a psychiatrist who submitted you for consideration as likely material for the camp. You will have then been put in a special drafting category known as C/Q and sent direct to the camp. You will potentially be aware of the essence of your psychiatric evaluation, or may have very little knowledge – this depends on both your characters background, stability and reasoning for being categorised as C/Q.

 

Characters may be defined as cases that range from the “old lag” to the immature, frightened youth who has been unable to find his feet in the Navy. A significant number will be men whom nobody wanted – idle, untrustful, insubordinate, vicious; others once genuine psychiatric casualties, who had gradually come to trade on their symptoms and, by failure to co-operate or misbehaviour had become suitable cases for the Camp. A minority may be suspected malingerers who have avoided punishment through lack of satisfactory evidence, or cunning, or both.

 

The main types considered for the Camp will generally fall into the following classifications:

 

(i)     Cases of low morale, due to -

(a)                Stress of action, etc.

(b)                Constitutional timidity.

(c)                No ascertainable cause.

 

(ii)     Temperamental instability, due to -

(d)                Psychoneurosis.

(e)                Incipient psychoses.

(f)                 Psychopathic personality.

 

(iii)     Malingerers.

 

Each player will be supplied with a short character description, including character history, general game-play details and any special rules or details relative to the characters classification.

 

 

OFFICERS (CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS OR PETTY OFFICERS)

 

On the whole, officers are responsible for the organisation of the Camp, and have a remarkably free hand to experiment with the ratings – within the normal framework of Naval organisation and discipline. General rules regarding the treatment and employment of the ratings will be laid down at the outset, and it is expected that these be adhered to.

 

Although HMS Standard is considered a combined operation between Executive and Medical Authorities, it is not classed as a hospital. It therefore is under Executive, not Medical control; and with Executive command goes the power of punishment. This is considered essential as a last resort in dealing with certain cases that might arise within the Camp, since the undesirability of medical officers awarding punishments would throw into question the system of ‘doctor-patient’ relationships. You will therefore be charged with this tool of authority.

 

The officers’ day-to-day role will involve close contact with individual and small groups of ratings, guiding them through treatment - despite the fact you are inexperienced in the situation you find yourself. This will consist of mentoring and leading activities, from fulfilling routine work and drills, to occupational therapy and possibly taking outside parties away from the Camp. Throughout, you will also be in close liaison with the Camp’s medical team and Commanding Officer.

 

From the perspective of the Navy, success is measured if an officer’s contact with a rating assists in changing their attitude towards the community and country as a whole, and the Navy in particular. Ultimately, perhaps you might be able to instill morale and some shame-faced mutterings amongst ratings about “getting back to sea” and before long draft these men to a ship. That is, if you are able to withstand the demands of the inmates you are charged with.

 

As with the ratings, each player will be supplied with a short character description, including character history, general game-play details and any special rules.

 

 

OTHER CAMP STAFF

 

Other camp staff will be comprised of a Commanding Officer, psychiatric/medical unit, schoolmaster and chaplain.

 

These will be filled by either players with some knowledge of the fields connected to the characters or NPCs. If you have an interest in any of these roles, please indicate this on the sign-up form.